Here’s my secret. I’ve been lobbying hard for a move to New York City. I miss New York. When we moved to the East Coast, Adam had to choose between a Boston grad school and a New York grad school. We decided that we could have a better lifestyle in Boston, so when he got into a Boston school, he withdrew his New York applications. It was the right move at the time and I’m glad he chose a Boston school.
But now, now I’m done with Boston. And let’s be clear: We don’t live in Boston; we live in the ‘burbs. And it’s a fabulous ‘burb. I have great friends, it’s a terrific community, and I couldn’t be more pleased with my kids’ school. But that said, I want a city. And I don’t think Boston is a city. Boston is a city lite. Spelling intentional.
My first choice of cities is Paris. The girl is on board. The boy is not, and Adam keeps mumbling things like, “Job. Money. Supporting ourselves.” I’m not sure what he means by that. My second choice city is New York. Where Adam could actually find a job. But here the holdout is, again, the boy. As a child I moved around enough to not want to subject my children to it unless they are willing participants.
“If you want a city, why don’t we move to Boston?” the boy asked. “It’s like a mini-New York!”
“I don’t want a mini,” I told him. “I want the real thing.”
So I’ve shelved the idea of New York, even though I had already lined up a bunch of open houses to look at while we are in NYC (I found a great deal on a condo in Murray Hill!).
Until… the boy gave me a glimmer of hope. My father, the boy, and I went to the Intrepid Museum of Sea, Air, and Space today (although the boy said, “Wouldn’t a museum of air and space be empty?”) and then we walked to Times Square.
And we entered the Toys R Us. The Times Square Toys R Us. And the boy was sold. “Wow!” he said as he walked through Candyland. “Wow!” he said as he walked through the area where they take your photo. “Wow!” he said as he walked through the demonstrations of toys.
“Do you want to move here now?” I whispered in his ear.
And as he eyed the indoor Ferris wheel going around, he whispered back, “Maybe…”
Anyone want to buy a house in the ‘burbs of Boston? I’m sure Adam will find a job sooner or later….
